With the growing demand for specialized education and standards of meritocracy, students and their parents are looking for the best colleges and schools. Every student goes through the transition phase of developing and applying to multiple colleges after high school completion. In that timely process, only a handful of individuals are able to secure admissions to their favorite colleges and their respective courses. According to the educational survey of 2021, only 45% of aspiring students were able to make it through the rigorous admissions process and secure admission to their favorite colleges. The problem isn’t with the students or their academic records; it’s basically the documentation and presentation.
With consultants offering services in almost every sector of industry, the education industry is also backed by robust and determined consultants who specialize in college admissions. There are over 20,000 colleges and universities offering admissions to a wide range of students, but only 60% of the aspiring students make it through the admission cycle and successfully start their study program. Consultants and college advisors are the ones who assist students during the due course by rendering their services and prompt consultations against a definite contact amount. Consultants charge reasonable consultation fees, which have no hidden charges or additional arrears. If you are looking to get a college admissions consultation, then make sure you are getting comprehensive services against the investment you have made.
Talking about the ways in which you can finalize your college admissions counselor, students are advised to first carry out a few preliminary checks and then apply to prestigious colleges. No college counselor or admissions consultant will want to jeopardize its admission success rate. Hence, it’s best to first carry out an initial screening session with the lead consultant, discussing potential targets in terms of college deadlines and other parameters. Once the student is on board and has a clear picture of the entire process, the consultant can start with the application and execute all sorts of formal dealings.
What to Understand and Scrutinize Before Hiring an Admissions Counselor?
When choosing an admission counselor, one should execute a few preliminary checks, which can be exercised using the internet. College admissions counselors have furnished websites and social media platforms through which they market themselves. Being a student, one can look for online counselors and book physical interviews just to get familiar with the lead consultant or the college admissions counselor. Continue reading to find out ways in which you can choose your college admissions counselor.
Online Verification – Running Background Checks
Not every sponsored advertisement on Facebook and Instagram is authentic. At times such marketing stunts are solely for cheating purposes. Hence, it’s best to verify the consultant’s profile on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. Once you have verified the consultant’s profile, start the scrutiny of students who have been associated with the consultant. You can also check if the success stories mentioned on the website are authentic and does that specific student is entitled to that profile and qualification. Once you have completed the online verification process, you can move on to the next step and make appointments via WhatsApp.
Communicate in Your Friend Circle and Search for Possible Options
There are a number of educational consultants who aren’t interested in marketing themselves. However, they expand and develop their business by word of mouth. When looking for consultants and especially for matters which involve overseas verification and travel, it’s best to take advice and suggestions from individuals who have gone through that channel before. Hiring an admissions consultant isn’t quite easy as its looks, as there are hundreds of counselors with almost the same credentials and a list of colleges on their panel. It’s ideal to find someone who has gone through the channel of a consultant and is familiar with the overall process.
Book a Free Consultation Session and Clear Your Doubts
Almost every consultant offers a free consultation to potential students who are looking to travel abroad by taking admission to a reputable community or technical college. During the free consultation period, ensure that you have communicated all your doubts and queries about the overall working and processing of your application. Secondly, if you have any defaulted document which needs verification or scrutiny, inform the consultant prior to cut future hassle. Once you have communicated all your concerns, wait for the consultant to answer you back and present solid reasoning.
Once the two-way communication is established, you can work out a mutual pathway and target specific colleges in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. As a student, you should also understand that finding shortcuts isn’t a sustainable way of finding a college seat. Every student has to go through the complete vetting process and comply with the terms and conditions.
Determine Consultant’s Expertise?
Not every travel consultant has expertise in college admissions. For immigration, business, and PR, different counselors and consultants are easily available, but there are very few recognized counselors who specifically deal in college and university admissions. Hence, it’s best to first find an ideal educational consultant who has concrete expertise in targeting top colleges and their application cycles. If you are looking to find a consultant who files your complete application and writes detailed essays on your behalf, you will need to find one who demonstrates an ideal grip of creativity and management. Many consultants ask students to write applications; however, few use their previously written templates as the raw material. It totally depends on potential candidates and how they want to structure their college applications.
Decide Between a Proper Consulting Firm or a Freelance Individual Counselor
If you have studied the educational consulting market, you must have come across two types of counselors. Firstly, there are counselors who are associated with a large consulting firm, legalized under the business ordinance and consulting act. Secondly, there are consultants who work independently and have no proper offices or staff to support them. At times freelance consultants are also able to produce impeccable results. However, it’s recommended to always make contact with an in-house team of consultants who are competent enough to develop your profile. Moreover, professional consultants highlight mistakes or blunders before document submission.
Final Word!
There’s a strong reason to approach consulting market with a healthy dose of skepticism. Your transition into college should be a wonderful one, not scandalous. The information above will help you choose the finest college admissions counselor for your ward. After going through the vetting process, you can choose the best counselor at start applying to the finest colleges around the world. Moreover, you can list down consultants who are budget friendly and have a divided payment plan.
When hiring an admission counselor, you can search for avenues of personal interest, such as merit scholarships and funding from colleges. If your counselor is well acquainted with the college’s finance committee, you can secure a decent scholarship amount.
